Sleep Tips for Kids: Create Healthy Habits That Help Little Ones Fall Asleep Faster

Kids need a lot of sleep, but you might not know it from the way most children struggle against their bedtime. Whether your little one is the anxious type who can’t turn off their thoughts or the type to drag out every single toy for a late-night play session, there are many reasons kids may not be getting the adequate amount of sleep for their development. 

Luckily, creating healthy sleep habits for kids isn’t as impossible as it may seem. It may take some trial and error, but these natural sleep tips for kids could make all the difference when it comes to easing your little one into deep rest. 

How Many Hours of Sleep Do Kids Need? 

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the amount of sleep a child needs each night changes as the child ages. As a general guideline, here’s how much sleep your child or teen should get: 

• Ages 4 to 12 months: 12 to 16 hours (including naps)
• Ages 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours (including naps)
• Ages 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours  
• Ages 6 to 12 years: 9 to 12 hours  
• Ages 13 to 18 years: 8 to 10 hours 

Importance of Sleep for Children 

Studies show that children who don’t get an adequate amount of sleep each night perform worse at school and socially than children who got a full night’s rest. Some of the negative effects of sleep deprivation include: 

• Poor mental processing 
• Difficulty concentrating 
• Behavioral issues  
• Difficulty with social-emotional functioning
• Chronic fatigue (may fall asleep in class or in public settings) 

On the other hand, getting an adequate amount of sleep has a number of health benefits that aid in a child’s development. Children who get enough sleep each night exhibit: 

• Improved cognitive development 
• Better long-term memory 
• Regulated mood and emotions 
• Better language development
• Improved immunity 
• Healthy sleep habits later in life 

Create a Better Kids’ Bedtime Routine 

If you want to encourage your kids to sleep better, it may all come down to creating a better bedtime routine. Here are some helpful hints for getting young children to sleep through the night. 

Be consistent. 

Kids need routines, especially when they’re first establishing healthy sleep habits early in life. Make sure to get your little ones to bed at the same time each night, and stick to a consistent routine of bath, books, gentle music, or whatever works best for your family. 

Limit light before bed. 

To encourage your child to fall asleep easier, work with the natural circadian rhythm by turning down the lights well before bedtime. An hour or two before it’s time to hit the hay, start dimming the lights throughout your home to create a feeling of calm. 

Wind down. 

While you may enjoy watching an hour of television or having a lively conversation before bedtime, this may be too much stimulation for your child’s busy mind. Encourage sleepiness by turning off distractions and limiting loud noises. 

Create a clutter-free sleep environment. 

Your kids may enjoy sleeping with a favorite blanket or a cozy stuffed animal, but too many toys, clothes, and other messy distractions can make it difficult to sleep. Limit the amount of clutter in your child’s room (or at least in their bed) to help ease them into deep rest. 

Limit screen time before bed. 

While it may be tempting to allow your child to watch a favorite movie or play a game on his or her tablet before bedtime, try to cut out screen time a few hours before bed to avoid overstimulation. 

Play sleep music for kids. 

If your child responds well to music, playing sleep music for kids on a bluetooth speaker or in headphones may be a nice way to bond before bed. Create a playlist that’s filled with relaxing music and see if it improves their sleep health. 

Try a kids sleep meditation. 

For kids who have a hard time turning off their minds before bed, a kids sleep meditation may help to clear out those anxious thoughts. Just search “kids sleep meditation” on YouTube or on your preferred music streaming app and see which one works best.

Natural Sleep Aids for Kids 

Warm milk 

Milk contains magnesium, zinc, and tryptophan, all of which may help at bedtime. Try making your child a cup of warm milk if they’re having trouble sleeping. 

Mary Ruth’s Organics Kids Magnesium Calm Gummies 

These sugar-free, fruity gummies will likely become your child’s favorite part about bedtime, because they taste great and they’re fun to take. Formulated with magnesium citrate to support rest and relaxation* and free of gluten, soy, nuts, and dairy, they offer a gentle way to ease kids to sleep. 

Good Day Chocolate Milk Chocolate Sleep Supplement for Kids

Do your little ones love a sweet treat? While you may not want to load them up with candy before bedtime, you can feel good about adding this chocolaty sleep supplement to their routine. Made with 1mg of melatonin and Fair Trade chocolate, these little bites are a great alternative to the usual dessert (that actually helps to support a healthy sleep schedule*). 

The Smurfs Restful Sleep Kids Gummy

For kids who need a bit of encouragement from their favorite cartoon characters, these cute, Smurfs-themed gummies may be just the way to encourage them to rest easier*. These naturally flavored gummies are made with a blend of chamomile, melatonin, and lemon balm (and no synthetic dyes or sweeteners), so you can easily incorporate them into your child’s routine. 

Genexa Kids’ Calm Keeper

For children ages 3-11, these chewable tablets are flavored with vanilla and lavender and are formulated with an organic homeopathic blend. Parents can also rest easy knowing there are no synthetic dyes, artificial flavors, or common allergens.

CALM Kids Magnesium Gummies, Sweet Citrus

These citrus flavored gummies offer a kid-friendly amount of magnesium citrate, an organic compound that helps to promote relaxation*, which could aid in your child’s sleep. 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before changing your diet or healthcare regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.